358 FIELD MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY ZOOLOGY, VOL. XL 



Wolverines do not hibernate but wander about in the snow in the 

 coldest weather. Audubon and Bachman tracked one for five miles 

 over snow-covered hills in northern New York.* Mr. Edward G. 

 Kingsford of Iron Mountain, Michigan, who met with this species a 

 number of times in Minnesota, writes: 



"I remember chasing one on snow shoes in Minnesota about fifteen 

 miles, thinking that I might catch him as the snow was soft and his short 

 legs seemed to go in full length, but he was going when I quit." 



According to various writers the Wolverine makes its den in a hollow 

 in the ground or a natural cave under rocks. The young are born in 

 May or June and usually number from 2 to 4, although, according to 

 MacFarlane, 5 are occasionally found in a litter.f 



This species possesses anal glands secreting a rather thick yellowish 

 brown fluid. The odor is extremely noxious, but the fluid cannot be 

 forcibly ejected to a distance. 



Genus PUTORIUS | Cuvier. 



Putorius Cuvier, Regne Animal, I, 1817, p. 147. Type Mustela putorius 



Linn. 



Body long; tail close-haired or bushy; legs short; carnassial tooth in 

 lower jaw without internal cusp ; rostrum short ; bullae flattened. Differs 

 in dentition from genus Mustela by having one less premolar on each side 

 of upper and lower jaw. 



Dental formula: I. ^> C. , Pm. ^, M. ~=34- 



3-3 I-I 3-3 2 - 2 



Two subgenera, which may be characterized as follows, are repre- 

 sented within our limits: 



A. Total length generally more than 19.50 inches (size variable); color brown all 



over, including under parts, except a white spot on chin and usually another on 

 the breast; soles of feet mostly bare; does not turn white in winter. 



Subgenus LUTREOLA, MINKS, p. 361. 



B. Total length less than 19.50 inches; color brown above, white or yellowish white 



below; soles of feet mostly covered with hair; turns white in winter in this 

 latitude. Subgenus ICTIS, WEASELS, p. 366. 



* Quadrupeds of N. Amer., I, 1846, p. 207. 



t Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus., XXVIII, 1905, p. 708. 



t According to Thomas (Proc. Zool. Soc. Lond., 1911, p. 139) the name Putorius, 

 commonly used for this genus, must be changed to Mustela; and the name Mustela, 

 at present used for the Martens, must give place to Maries. 



